20 types of marketing explained: traditional to digital

Marketing is not just billboards and advertisements; it's a strategy companies use to communicate their products or services to their target market. There are many different marketing strategies you can use to communicate those messages. This article breaks down the most common types of marketing and explains what each does.

There are many strategies marketing teams use to communicate the benefits of their product or service to the public. But what strategy is the best one? In this article, get a list of 20 different types of business marketing strategies to try in your next marketing plan.

What is marketing?

Marketing is the way companies communicate with their audience, establish their brand, and promote their products or services. It encompasses everything from the advertisements you hear on the radio to the emails in your inbox and the social media posts in your feed.

The American Marketing Association offers a more formal definition: "the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large."

Since this definition is broad, it allows marketing to evolve as technology advances. A company's marketing strategies are iterative and evolve with its audience's needs.

20 types of marketing

Marketing has been around since the 1800s, and companies can use many different marketing techniques. The most effective marketing strategies are those based on careful market research and an understanding of the target audience. Here are some examples of common marketing tactics.

1. B2C marketing

B2C marketing stands for "business to consumer." This means that the target audience is a direct consumer of the product or service. Depending on the type of product, the sales cycle for a B2C product can be very short, and the decision-making process that consumers go through is less involved.

Most advertisements people see are B2C marketing. For example, B2C marketing strategies include:

• A TV advertisement for a candy bar

• Instagram ads for a clothing shop

• Direct mail coupons for a store

2. B2B marketing

B2B marketing stands for "business to business," meaning the target audience is another company rather than individual consumers. B2B marketing typically requires a longer buying cycle because purchases involve more research and higher-stakes decisions.

Many B2B strategies are executed digitally, though some also reach traditional platforms such as trade publications and industry events.

Examples of B2B marketing include:

• Event marketing at trade shows

• Inbound marketing strategies

• Account-based marketing campaigns

Most common types of traditional marketing

Traditional marketing encompasses strategies that have been used since the inception of marketing in the 1800s. These strategies are much more overt and sometimes less targeted. Take a look at the 10 most common traditional marketing strategies.

3. Outbound marketing

When a marketing strategy is referred to as "outbound," it focuses on how the message is delivered. Outbound marketing happens when a company shares its message with an audience. Billboard advertisements are a good example of outbound marketing; in this case, the company is trying to share information with people driving by.

4. Personalized marketing

Personalized marketing is a strategy in which the company uses historical data to create a personalized experience for you. This could include direct mail that uses your name in marketing materials or grocery stores that offer you coupons for items you regularly purchase.

5. Direct mail

Direct mail is when companies send advertisements to a specific address. This allows businesses to target a specific area. A good example of direct mail marketing is a weekly grocery store advertisement.

6. Partner marketing

The partner marketing strategy requires two companies to collaborate to create a cohesive message. A common example of this is a company sponsoring something at another company. For example, a cafe may provide free Wi-Fi courtesy of Google.

7. Telemarketing

Telemarketing is when a company reaches out to individuals by phone. This is still a common tactic, but since cell phones and caller ID have become the norm, the success of this marketing strategy has dwindled.

8. Public relations (PR) marketing

PR marketing is a strategy in which you partner with a news source to generate more buzz for your business. PR marketing is commonly used when a company launches a new product, undergoes a major leadership change, or announces an expansion.

PR marketing might not directly promote a product, but it's a good way to increase your business's brand awareness. This is especially relevant in B2B marketing, because some business buyers will make decisions based on their understanding of your company's position in the competitive landscape.

9. Word of mouth marketing

Word of mouth marketing is a strategy that relies on existing customers referring your business to new customers. This is a hard strategy to control because it depends on your customers to do the work.

Referrals are to offer incentives, such as:

• Discounts for both the referrer and the new customer

• Bonus credits or free products for successful referrals

• Loyalty points that accumulate with each referral

This approach is popular with subscription services, salons, gyms, and other client-based businesses.

10. Stealth marketing

Stealth marketing is the act of marketing a good or service to someone without them realizing they're being marketed to. A good example of this is product placement in a movie or TV show. You may notice that certain characters in the show only use a certain type of computer, or only drive a certain type of car. This is because those companies paid to be featured.

11. Brand marketing

Brand marketing is a long-term marketing approach that aims to become recognizable and build a strong reputation. Brand marketing encompasses many different facets, from visual branding to tone and voice.

To measure the effectiveness of brand marketing strategies, companies will track their brand awareness. This metric measures how familiar the average person is with your brand.

12. Cause marketing

Cause marketing is a strategy in which a company chooses to back a certain cause as a way of strengthening their brand's core values. A good example of this is Patagonia. They pledge 1% of sales to the restoration and preservation of Earth's natural environment.

Popular forms of digital marketing

Digital marketing encompasses all marketing strategies that are implemented in a digital format. Some of the strategies above may sometimes happen digitally, but the following eight forms of marketing only happen online:

13. Inbound marketing

Inbound marketing is a strategy for attracting potential customers to you rather than pushing a message out. This long-term approach encourages prospects to move further down the marketing funnel by providing value upfront.

Common inbound marketing tactics include:

• Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimizing content to rank in search results

• Content marketing: Creating valuable resources like blogs, guides, and videos

• Email marketing: Nurturing leads with targeted email campaigns

14. Search engine marketing

Search engine marketing is the strategy of utilizing search engines such as Google. Search engine marketing can include paid advertisements such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements and suggested posts. It can also include organic SEO strategies, such as creating optimized content to rank highly on Google.

15. Content marketing

Content marketing involves creating content, such as ebooks or webinars, to encourage potential customers to interact with your brand more frequently. The goal of content marketing is to encourage potential customers to share information, such as an email address, so the company can continue marketing to them in different ways.

16. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a strategy in which a company pays a commission to an external website for sales generated through the website's referrals. This is commonly used in combination with influencer marketing strategies to target a highly focused consumer demographic.

17. Social media marketing

Social media marketing uses platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok to share your messaging. It can include paid ads, organic content, or user-generated content, and is especially popular with e-commerce businesses.

Social media marketing can also go viral. When a blackout occurred during Super Bowl XLVII, Oreo quickly posted a timely joke on Twitter that generated massive buzz for the brand.

18. Email marketing

Email marketing is a strategy for sending marketing messages to potential customers via email. It's used in both B2B and B2C marketing strategies and is one of the most effective ways to reach your target market. One of the major benefits of email marketing is that it's easy to segment your marketing messaging.

19. Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing involves sending marketing messages via push notifications or text messages. This tactic can be used to achieve many different goals, such as encouraging app openings to increase daily active users or to share coupons with discounts. The downside of this form of marketing is that you need customer phone numbers, which are harder to obtain than email addresses.

20. Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a strategy where brands partner with individuals who have established credibility and audiences on social media platforms. These influencers promote products or services to their followers, leveraging the trust they've built with their audience.

This type of marketing works particularly well for reaching specific demographics and building authentic connections with potential customers. The key to successful influencer marketing is finding partners whose values and audience align with your brand.

2 ways to do event marketing

While event marketing has transformed quite a bit in recent years, the strategy of meeting people face to face, whether that's in-person or virtually, is still an extremely effective marketing strategy. Here are a few subsets of event marketing that can help you create a memorable experience for potential customers.

1. Experiential marketing

Experiential marketing is a marketing effort in which you hold some kind of experiential event in an effort to promote your product or service. This is a common marketing tactic for TV shows and movies to create an immersive experience for viewers.

Pop-up events are another good example of experiential marketing. It allows for a limited engagement, so there's some sense of urgency and exclusivity to the event itself.

2. Interactive marketing

Interactive marketing is a strategy that involves an interactive component during an event or face-to-face interaction. One common technique is to play a game, such as spinning a roulette wheel or playing Plinko, to win a giveaway. This is common at trade shows and other in-person events.

How to choose the right marketing strategy for your business

With so many marketing types available, selecting the right approach can feel overwhelming. The key is to align your strategy with your specific goals, audience, and resources.

Consider these factors when choosing your marketing mix:

• Your audience: B2C audiences often respond well to social media and influencer marketing, while B2B buyers typically engage with content marketing, email campaigns, and events.

• Your budget: Traditional methods like TV advertising require significant investment, while digital tactics like content marketing offer more flexibility for smaller budgets.

• Your goals: Brand marketing and PR work well for long-term awareness, while search engine marketing and email marketing deliver more immediate, measurable results.

The most effective strategies often combine multiple types of marketing. Test different approaches and measure your results to refine your strategy over time.

Organize and manage your marketing with Asana

Implementing multiple marketing campaigns simultaneously can be challenging. A work management tool helps keep your team's marketing work organized and on track.

With Asana, you can:

• Track campaigns across channels in one place

• Assign tasks and deadlines to team members

• Connect marketing efforts to larger business goals

Whether you're running a content program, coordinating an event, or launching a social campaign, Asana helps your team stay aligned. Get started and learn more about marketing project management.

Frequently asked questions about types of marketing